Don’t you love those ‘a ha!’ moments, where you realize that things you’ve seen every day for the past five years actually have a use … and could save you time! No, I’m not talking about the moment you realize that your kids are old enough to do the dishes on their own. That’s always nice too … the Windows logo key is the subject of our forced ‘aha’ today.

See what using the Windows logo key too much can do to you ... just be careful!

For years, I thought this was just another piece of Microsoft marketing, and ignored it. Then my toddler pressed it, along with some other funky buttons one day, and shut down my computer, losing my work in the process. Hmm, better watch out for that one, I thought. Then I stumbled across a blog post on how to use the thing, apart from keeping little fingers in your house away from it, and I saw the light!

If you are currently uninitiated in the joys of the Windows logo key (or indeed, any other handy computer shortcuts), let me introduce you to its ecstasy (and sometimes agony!). Use the Windows logo key to:

Use the Windows Logo key to have more time for fun stuff!

Minimize all applications – Logo + M
This is great for getting back to the desktop, or you can press Logo + D to do exactly the same thing.

Pull up the Start menu – Logo by itself
I don’t use this one that often, since you usually need the mouse to navigate that menu anyway, and it’s right there. But, horses for courses.

Lock your computer desktop – Logo +L
I love this one for office situations. You just need to pop your computer password in after you get back from lunch to unlock it – another Logo+L doesn’t do the trick, fortunately.

Open Windows Explorer – Logo+E
Now, if only they could make all the blasted subfolders mind controlled, I’d really be saving some time.

Open your Find dialog to search for files and folders – Logo+F
This is actually the easiest way I have found to look for anything in Vista. I much prefer XP for search.

Flip through all your open applications like a 3D book – Logo+Tab
If you are the sort of person that has fifty programs open during the day, and each has an obscure title or is grouped with five others so you can’t easily get to them, this is a great one.

You can also get third-party programs to personalize Windows logo key functions – let us know your thoughts on the best of them. You can use the time you’ve saved navigating your Windows to drop us a line in the comments!

It’s almost become a truism that computers take up at least as much time as they save. If you’ve ever spent several minutes clicking through your Windows Explorer (or Mac) ‘filing system’, trying to get to where you want to save something, experienced the joy of a virus, spent hours comparing online shopping prices only to find that they won’t ship to your area, then you’ll be feeling that dull, throbbing pain the front of your head right now … just like me! So today we’re posting a few random tips on taking the power back from your computer, despite the fact that it’s the Machine Age.

All tuckered out by the computer ... awww!

1. Use both your hands on the computer

Many of us are mousebound, using only our right hands on the computer, with our left wasting away in a desert of isolation. Bring the poor little guy back into the fold and you can save time!

Advanced users will already know most of these, and will be able to benefit from more advanced lists like this one for all users, and this updated one for Windows 7 users. For the newbies, though:

Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste.

Ctrl Z to undo the last thing you did; this can be repeated in some programs but not in others.

Shift + Delete – delete permanently, so you don’t have to suffer through being asked ‘Are you sure?’, by your computer a hundred times a day

Windows button + D – return to desktop. Press this again to restore all your windows to previous positions

Alt + F4 – close active program

Ctrl+S saves a file in most programs

Ctrl+F allows you to find a word in a file – this will save you scanning hundreds of webpages for the part that is relevant to you.

You can always find more keyboard shortcuts by reading the menus that you use in programs. Most list any keyboard shortcuts just to the right of the option in the drop down menu.

2. Quick Launch

Always add your frequently used programs to the Quick Launch bar, if you don’t want to clutter up your desktop. I’m not sure about your computer, but mine seems to load programs quicker from the launch bar than the desktop, anyway. You can do this by right-clicking the program in your Start Menu, and selecting ‘Add to Quick Launch’.

3. Startup Programs

On your work PC, add programs that you have open every single day to your Startup folder, so that they automatically open for you in the morning. While you’re having a debriefing, making a coffee, or tidying up paperwork, your programs will be loading themselves.

Feedreaders, like most things in life, are both a blessing and a curse. If you have websites that you must get the updated content from in order to complete a task or to be productive, then use feedreaders like Google’s, or Bloglines’. I personally don’t recommend subscribing to feeds that you are juts interested in … not if you’ve ever said ‘There aren’t enough hours in the day!’, anyway :-).

5. Google Toolbar

Love or hate Google, they make some pretty cool free stuff. Their toolbar has been out for ages, but many of you might not know how much time it (and Google in general) can save you. There are hundreds of customizable buttons, which allow you to do things like translate, convert currencies, check webmail, add and tag bookmarks, get driving directions, look up lyrics, check craigslist … just about anything you want, all with the ease of a button right on your browser. You don’t need to hunt through bookmarks, or even open a new window or tab.

If you do anything on the net repetitively, it is worth checking if Big Brother sorry, Google, has a button for it.